This weekend the reigning AMA/Ford Quality Checked Certified Pre-Owned Flat Track Championship champion – Chris Carr – will be in Belgium to participate in the 19th running of the Trace Superbikers in Mettet, Belgium.
Carr, who raced the event last year, is excited about the opportunity to showcase his skills against some of Europe’s top motorcycle racers in this supermoto-style race.
“It’s an event that takes a bit of getting used to – I’ve only raced it once (2004) – but I’ll return knowing the track better and will hopefully improve on my finish from last year,” said Carr. “I did well enough (8th in his qualifier, 17th overall) that I was kindly invited back by the promoters and KTM Europe.”
To make the main event, held on a 1.5 mile-temporary track that’s run though an area of highway in rural Belgium, Carr will face 22 of the world’s top non-supermoto specialists. Last year this included racers such as FMX legend Mike Metzger and road racer Scott Russell. And if athletes like Metzger and Russell don’t make the competition tough, 180 of Europe’s top supermoto specialists – many of which could be competitive with the top 10 racers in America’s AMA Supermoto Championship – will battle it out to make the eventual 46-man gate.
“The competition’s going to be tough this year, especially because it’s an off week for both the FIM World Supermoto Championships and the AMA Supermoto Championship has already concluded,” said Carr. “So I’ll be pleased if I can put up results similar to those we achieved last year.”
Carr will likely be riding one of reigning AMA Supermoto Champion Jurgen Kunzel’s spare KTM 450 bikes. The German-born Kunzel just recently won the 2005 AMA Supermoto Championship title.
Carr said that the course is a bit more street oriented than the classic AMA Supermoto courses, which he feels suits his style better.
“The coolest section is this 4th gear left-hander on pavement,” said Carr. “That’s an area of the track where my flat track skills allowed me to pick up some time on the other racers.”
The two-day event is expected to draw more than 50,000 spectators. Carr is scheduled to leave today with his wife, Pam, and longtime tuner Kenny Tolbert. After the race Carr said he and his wife will take in Paris for a few days, then added with a laugh: “We’ll be sending Kenny back home.”
The current AMA Flat Track Champion, winningest active racer in the sport with 72 wins and seven time AMA Flat Track championship titles, the Chris Carr legend continues. For more information on Chris Carr, visit his website at www.chriscarr.com.
